No MLT Fourth of July celebration this year

The 2013 Family Fourth of July community event in Mountlake Terrace included live music and fireworks. The city is not hosting an event this year.

The on-again and off-again history of Mountlake Terrace community events on the Fourth of July continues this year as the city is not conducting an event for the 2014 observance of Independence Day.

After a three-year hiatus, the City of Mountlake Terrace did host an event in 2013 called Family Fourth of July, with live music and a professional aerial fireworks display. City officials aggressively sought and successfully collected sponsorship dollars from several local businesses and individuals to restart the event that had last been seen in the city in 2007 and 2008.

“Last year’s was entirely sponsor-driven, as no city dollars were spent,” noted Jeff Betz, the city’s Recreation Director.

The city paid all expenses for the 2007 and 2008 community events, but did not allocate money in 2009-2012 due to costs. The 2008 Family Fourth of July cost the city approximately $25,000.

Mountlake Terrace did have big Fourth of July events in the early 1990’s. The events, called Olson’s Festival of Fireworks, were sponsored by Olson Foods, a grocery store chain that operated a store at the Cedar Plaza Shopping Center. The chain was bought by QFC in the mid-1990’s; the company chose not to continue sponsorship of the event.

City officials left open the door for potential Fourth of July city-hosted events in upcoming years. “It’s always possible that an event will be considered in the future,” Betz said.

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